State of the Nation Address - The Long Division Version

RapthoseLeafs style

Barack Obama doesn’t know much about the Raptors. I’m guessing.
Many Americans probably don’t. Or at least quite a few. Rick Mercer once asked Americans, their opinion on whether Canada should change its "20 Hour Clock" to the 24 hour one used by the United States. He got approval from most of the Americans he met, as well as the support of Tom Vilsack, Governor of Iowa. For some down south, the 49th Parallel is akin to some physics theory.

In the past, when I’ve said American free Agents don’t want to come here, it’s really about not knowing who the hell we are. Or aren’t. With a prime minister named Jean Poutine for example. A land of strange laws. Only criminals can carry around handguns – police not withstanding. Strange behaviour. A socialist government with healthcare for everybody. Chris Bosh called it .... “the air smells different”. Of course he didn’t mean anything by that – as CB wasn’t that type of guy. But that’s not the point. It’s what he was thinking. For him, home is below the 49th Parallel.

“As much as we all know Toronto is a beautiful city - it remains in the shadows when it comes to luring free agents.” [Papa Burgundy]

Seeing no stat to dispute this belief, I’ve become more convinced that high-end Free Agency is a pipe dream for Raptors. It can be great for mid level contracts – an important facet – but the odds for a Star are slim to none. Trades & Draft will be the main options.

Unless we get lucky – top 3 lottery win – Raptors will acquiesce their draft pick to OKC, or whoever may own it on the closing date – draft day. 2014 may yield a bumper crop, and should Toronto miss the play-offs next season, luck – not a great commodity for Toronto – could deliver the next Canadian and NBA All Star. Sure it’s better than buying a Max Millions ticket, but for the slim odds, the process would be unbearable once again. Next season will most definitely be about making the play-offs. Failure to achieve that purpose, will mean another blow-up. Hopefully that’s another timeline.

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There are a lot of opinions out there. I have mine. In the Blog world, they’re a dime a dozen. Some would say my opinion is tainted by a fanboy complex. If that means I like certain players – with the longer they’re here the more likely – is really no different from many others fans of professional or amateur sports teams.

Andrea would fit into that role of a fan favourite – more than some people probably know. Amir – is pretty obvious. People had their doubts – not so much now. Demar has grown on me, as his time here expands. No doubt, seeing Jose gone has taken a little adjusting to. I never thought a 3 finger salute could impress itself upon me. I can't imagine when I'll witness another almost perfect F/T record. I do know that I never liked what he went through over the years, but recognized his resilience.

Even Lowry succumbed – for a time. Until BC tipped the scales in Kyle's favour. No more chances for another controversy. I think Jose deserved better, but hey, this is a Big business. We only care if it means not scaring off the help.

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So where do we go from here?
The 64 thousand dollar question – adjusted for inflation.

B.C.
Does he stay or should he go?
I’ll admit, I have my doubts about keeping him. Unfortunately, I also have my doubts about who would replace him. Do we have to go through this again. How will that decision maker react, when he realizes top end Free Agents will not come here (for the most part). Will he give in?

I don’t know. I do know that Raptors have done this many times. Not as many as the Leafs.

Speaking of the ice men, the name RapthoseLeafs came about from all those years being a strong Leaf fan. A fan of Gilmore. Of Wendal. Of Salming. And many more. A fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs, despite how they've spun themselves endlessly each season.

As to Colangelo's continuation in Toronto, I say we decide at the trade deadline – 2014. I think the same way about Casey.
Keeping them will give some assurance to players, instead of doubt, and the inevitable ... “Sorry, but I’m out of here”. What this team needs is stability, if we are going to gel as a team. Shaking everything up again, just strikes me as changing because finding solutions with what you have is too hard.

And to that thought, this is how I see what we have, what we could have, and what we really need. Or would like to get – as Toronto fans already know, we can’t get the same candy as those kids down south.

Kyle Lowry
I was wrong about this guy. Maybe it was bias towards Jose, or simply his quarterbacking direction, I just didn’t think he could adapt - in time. But KL has shown he can adapt. Maybe 2 and ˝ teams of experiencing both sides of the fence (the ˝ being with Jose), has caused Lowry to evolve. With a fresh summer, and his pal hanging around, Kyle can elevate his play to Star or almost Star-like status. In some respects, I think Rudy Gay is bringing that out of him – as Kyle doesn’t have to act like the alpha male. He is certainly worth a 12th pick - if that's where we end up.

That being said, with one more year left on his contract, if Kyle signals to BC that he’s not gonna resign, then we go through this all again.

Demar Derozan
DD has been growing on me these days. In the earlier days of his career, I felt Demar’s attitude was somewhat punk. He needed to stop expecting treatment like Kobe would, until he showed more of his capabilities.

To me, I’m seeing a more mature Derozan. His assists are up. His rebounding is up. His F/T averages are up. I’m not sure what people want out of him, but if his Offensive role is as 2nd or 3rd option, that role will take pressure off him. It will allow him to bring more focus on his defensive game, which does need work. As well as his 3 point shooting. Given his desire to hit long jumpers, if Demar can stretch that out to the 3 point line, his value could continue to grow. If he can get his average up around .380 from the outside, that improved ability will help his inside game. And maybe it’ll give Rudy more room to attack, instead of taking long shots.

Rudy Gay
One could debate Rudy for hours. Short is, I’d like to see Rudy with a fresh slate next season. This current season still has meaning, as it gives Rudy time to work on “redefining” his game to get the most out of his talent. It will also mean that Casey has to delicately balance between putting out a line-up for gelling purposes, and giving the young talent a chance to improve their game.

Bargnani
I’ll leave him for last.

Jonas V.
I like this kid. I think he’s moving along the curve just nicely. Some more strengthening, a Big coach in the off season (as well as during the season), and we could have our own Chandler. The only thing I wish Jonas would change, is his last name. It must be hard for people to identify who JV's best friends are, as everyone calls him Jonas.

Amir Johnson
AJ is a favourite for sure. Not just because of his hustling – Reggie gave us that – but because he’s a genuine player with talent. In time – as he gets a little older (lol) – Amir will be the hustling older veteran, whose play and passion will earn him more of a Leadership role. Despite how long AJ has been here, I think the guy is a late bloomer.

Terrence Ross
There is something about this guy – rookie wall aside – that I can see him becoming a favourite along the lines of Vince ... albeit, not even close yet. Maybe it’s intuition running amok, but Ross strikes me as a dark horse. No way I trade him, unless the package coming back is good. The summer will be key for him.

Landry Fields
This summer is key for him as well. Reading different views on his injury, I think it’s important to understand that his injury is a time issue. As the days pass by, things get better. Not only will the summer give him a chance to work on his shooting stroke, it will also give his arm time to heal without significant banging. I think he will surprise folks next season – pending a good bill of health.

Quincy Acy
I’m not quite sure why Casey has confined Q&A to the bench so much. He’s no Reggie – he’s got hops, and a better shot. Maybe undersized, but are we not playing more small ball. I hope we just don’t discard him, like we’ve done with other picks – that never really seemed to get some court time.

Anderson
I really think it’s time to part ways. Maybe do a sign & trade, if that helps. Otherwise, I don’t think we should put out the kind of cash, that his new contract will command.

Kleiza
I would say use the amnesty clause, but we only get one. Buy him out, or do whatever “good” trade we can do. While that doesn’t mean I want to use the Amnesty on Andrea, I do believe we should keep that option available to us. It is what makes Bargnani valuable, as I’ll explain later.

Aaron Gray
If another Big was to come along, that we could sign at a Veteran’s minimum, who was better than Aaron, then yes ... do it. Otherwise, I’d try to get Gray in the gym more. He’ll need to move a little faster next season, if he wants time.

Pietrus
Who? What happened to this guy?
Hopefully we gave him an opportunity to play somewhere in the NBA. Or Europe if so be.

Telfair
He needs to play. I have no clue what he could bring to next season, but this remainder should be to determine if he stays.

John Lucas
He’s a great guy. And a good spirit on the team. Fact is, he’s a very good 3rd String PG/SG. That doesn’t say much I know. Truth is, he’s part of why our Bench struggles – the exception when he goes off and shoots the lights out. Mostly though, he shoots the lights out – on our chances. 4 assists (per 36) – last 10 games - doesn’t help.

Andrea Bargnani
The Enigma – a term that causes extreme stress in some fans – certainly has less support these days. Most have just gone into hiding.

Not me.

Why do I spend so much time on him? That's easy. I think he's the wild card. And considering we have many impediments that other teams don't have, we need every wild card we can get. I also think Rudy is a wild card as well - albeit, a greater reward if we can extract it.

As for AB, call it a risk. Call it stupidity. I call it a reality we have. We're different, and the sooner we recognize that, the sooner we think outside the box.

I was asked once if I was Italian, the inference being this would be the only valid reason why I believe there is still hope for Andrea. Truth is, I am a Canadian. I was born in Canada. My parents as well. That being said, I do have Italian lineage in me. For which I am very proud. Some people suggested the question “Are you Italian” had some racist overtones to it. Personally, I couldn’t give a sh!t.

Now .... am I this fanboy [should be fanman, but that doesn’t sound good], because I have Italian heritage. Does that mean I was pissed when Belinelli was traded. Yeah ... that one really hurt. Took me months to recover. I’m still spitting meatballs, I’m so pissed.
Would I like Gallinari. Sure. Would I like to have him because he’s Italian. If he can cook a good plate of spaghetti – Sure. Otherwise ... not particularly.

The reason why I believe we should keep Bargnani until at least the next trade deadline, are many. They include:

Contract
AB’s contract (or lack of his contract), will not have a real effect on our cap position (with respect to free agents), as I understand it.

The Rudy Factor
One of the problems with Andrea, is that Toronto has placed him in the role of saviour / top dog, when the reality is, his pay cheque demonstrates differently. The last time Andrea was #2 dog, his stat read 17.2 ppg, 6.2 Rbs, .523 efg% and a 16.5 efficiency rating. Toronto had one of most potent Front Courts – ranking 6th in efficiency.

Amnesty
The Crown Jewel when it comes to his value. Raptors – should they keep this 1 time “gift” – could exercise the Amnesty rule in 2014 – the last year of his contract. Of course this option would have to demonstrate better value than using Andrea’s final year as an Expiring contract – an Asset in which to acquire more talent – albeit, something that might be at a premium. That word (premium) may scare a lot of people, especially in the hands of BC, but truth is, Raptor destiny has to adjust for being the only city not in the United States.

Talent
Or potential to reach that level he reached during the 2011-12 season. First reaction people have is ... we’ve waited 7 years. My answer is another question. Waited for what? Pau Gasol? He gets paid 19 million dollars this season – almost twice what Andrea makes. How about Milsap. He only made 7 million this season, in his final year. Good luck getting him for anywhere near that, in free agency.

Bottom line with Andrea is, there is no risk. Amnesty – assuming we don’t waste it on Kleiza – is the trump card that erases everything that may go wrong. The upside is, Casey + Rudy revamps AB’s role, such that he becomes what he was, and should never have left, a secondary role – whether it be as the 2nd option, or the 3rd. And if Kyle has a hot game, Bargnani’s role could give way, and be the 4th option. I’d call that potential for a serious Starting line-up. And yes ... I said Starting line-up.

Rebounding
I think we all know his rebounding is not the best. But I also think it could be improved, with better positioning. Casey appears to like having AB press – with a double coverage – out at the perimeter line (while defending). And then when he’s on Offense, has Andrea again out at the perimeter. At the best, AB should focus on blocking out his man – something I think he does fairly well, despite the reputation for poor rebounding.

Defense
Andrea’s help defense certainly needs remedial treatment. Why not get him a Big who can modify this thinking. Considering the state of affairs, I’d imagine Bargs would welcome this kind of help enthusiastically.

As to his post-up defense, or one-on-one. Some fans think it’s pretty good. Some will admit it’s not bad. Others dismiss it, because that’s just the way it goes with Andrea. It’s funny how often anything negative with his defense gets an enthusiastic audience, yet a Harvard report that places him #2 (best) in restricting Opponent averages – based on that Opponent being within 5 feet. In other words, he contests his shots pretty damn good. Yes, this Stat has its’ limitations. So do a lot of stats.

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Going into next season, barring some great deal out there, I would like to see this kind of line-up. The top 9 - 10 guys (or rotation):

Starting
Kyle
Demar
Rudy
Andrea
Jonas

Secondary
Amir
Fields
Ross
Acy
Gray (possibly)

Raptors most immediate need is a Back-up PG. That position is essential to success from the Secondary. Lucas doesn’t cut it – I really do hate his play-making skills, if you want to call it that. Sure, he can fire it up. But even when he does, Raptors are simply masking what he doesn’t do. Run the Secondary.

The main objective should be to gel this team. 21 starting line-ups – Raptors apparently have that record – is NOT the way to go. Next year needs stability. Enough with change.

Very nice write up. I agree to a degree. I mostly disagree on the Bargnani - but that is for the Bargnani thread although you brought some logical points. And the last part you write we need back up PG - we have one now - Telfair. Yes, I am sure we would all want better player but for a back up PG he is okay - he is average. In case of an injury I would be comfortable starting him - but I wouldn't be able to start half the back up PG in the league as well.
I am with you on almost everything else.

I disagree on everything Bargnani. There is nothing new in there in terms of 'reasons' or 'excuses' or 'hope' or 'potential'. It is the same stuff that has been written for years - myself included for many of those years - with the exception of the amnesty. Waiting to amnesty him would be awful asset management in my opinion if ANYTHING can be returned of, not value, but production. Boozer is not value but he definitely produces. Waiting another year to amnesty is like buying Nortel at $100, finally deciding to sell it at $15 but on the next bounce... that never comes.

Bargnani is going to be 28 at the start of next season. He is what he is. I am not sure I can add anything new myself so I'll leave it at that.

You've accentuated the positives Andrea brings but the negatives he brings as a starter are hard to overcome. First in my mind is the lack of toughness on the boards of a JV AB front court. Amir is cleaning up down low while Andrea doesn't contribute more than a couple of offensive boards a game. You mention his reputation as a poor rebounder and it is a reputation earned and backed by his stats. Giving an advantage to the opposition on the boards every game is huge.
Defensively you suggest bringing in a big to compensate for his liabilities. No. He is not worth trying to build around.
If he was reliable from downtown or at least was an efficient scorer it means we could forgive his weaknesses but even his scoring is now in question.
Another weight on the negative side of the scale is his ability to stay healthy. Three extended periods last year and injured again this year. 10 mill a year but he only plays half the games.
Finally you mentioned your Italian heritage that you share with Andrea. If that wasn't the case maybe it wouldn't be influencing your outlook that puts him as the starting PF. I wonder if even BC with his closeness to the Italian community is influenced by the natural characteristic we have to cheer for one of our own.

Thanks for sharing your opinions. I thought it was written and you made some good points.

I disagree with your thoughts on how to handle the Andrea situation. I dont think i need to list the many reasons stated by myself and other posters - it's been said enough. I personally think help defence and rebounding is TOO IMPORTANT - I also think a PF/C needs to shoot at around 50 percent.

We need to cut out any biases and do what's best for the team. Do you think this team can continue to HIDE or cover Andreas weaknesses and still WIN?? I don't!

... And the last part you write we need back up PG - we have one now - Telfair. Yes, I am sure we would all want better player but for a back up PG he is okay - he is average. In case of an injury I would be comfortable starting him - but I wouldn't be able to start half the back up PG in the league as well.

Telfair could be our man. That's why I think he should be backing up Kyle - now. Give JL time in blow-outs, or as a scorer. Telfair needs to show what he has. If it works, then we can move on to the next issue. But if not, we need to find one somewhere. The Bench needs their own Leader - with development being one of the priorities for next season. Ross needs that. So will Acy if he hangs around.

Matt52 wrote:

.... Waiting to amnesty him would be awful asset management in my opinion if ANYTHING can be returned of, not value, but production. Boozer is not value but he definitely produces. Waiting another year to amnesty is like buying Nortel at $100, finally deciding to sell it at $15 but on the next bounce... that never comes.

My words"..exercise the Amnesty rule in 2014 – the last year of his contract. Of course this option would have to demonstrate better value than using Andrea’s final year as an Expiring contract .... "

The intent - as my comment above didn't quite demonstrate - is to only use the Amnesty clause if the situation has no better option. Let's say Andrea goes down (again), with a season ending injury. One that puts him out until the first few months of the next season - his final year. Amnesty could be used like an insurance - albeit, with a 12 million dollar premium (less what the best bid price pays).

Amnesty could also put the Raptors below the "apron", with results as follows:

.... any team that exceeds the cap "apron" - which is $4 million over the existing luxury tax level - is not allowed to bring in a player in a sign-and-trade deal. That team also will only be able to offer a three-year mid-level exception deal to a free agent rather than the four-year exception that teams under the apron can offer, putting them at a bargaining disadvantage on the open market.

You've accentuated the positives Andrea brings but the negatives he brings as a starter are hard to overcome. First in my mind is the lack of toughness on the boards of a JV AB front court. Amir is cleaning up down low while Andrea doesn't contribute more than a couple of offensive boards a game.

I recognize Bargnani's faults, but I also think there's a fair amount of piling on. You say he lacks toughness, yet I would be inclined to say that description is relative to his indifference, or perceived attitude that grates on people, convincing fans to believe he lacks toughness.

I mentioned a Harvard study, that summarized the fg% of opponents when each Defender was within 5 feet. For Bargnani to place 2nd best in this study, one would think there has to be a reasonable level of toughness. The study was known as the Howard Effect, as Dwight's presence in the Paint caused a reluctance by opponents to drive into the Paint. He was 15th by the way.

Of course, as the study says, Dwight's value was in forcing teams to take more jump shots - effectively making them less credible.

Contemporary basketball expertise is significantly hindered by the inability to properly assess defensive play; current evaluations of a player or team’s defensive tendencies are constrained by a lack of proper reasoning artifacts. Most defensive analytics remain guided by the simple tallying of disparate event types including “steals,” “blocks,” and “defensive rebounds,” which does little to characterize either the nature or the effectiveness of defensive performance. Effective defensive play requires a cohesive assembly of structured actions converging upon a simple objective: keep your opponent from scoring points.

Defensively you suggest bringing in a big to compensate for his liabilities. No. He is not worth trying to build around.

As to bringing in a Big, what I meant was of a Mentor type - a Coach, not a player. Rereading it again, I can see how you interpreted it that way. But since you bring it up, Jonas is becoming that player. And not for Andrea's benefit. For the team's benefit.

I think sometimes people forget that teams are made of parts. Not whole parts - like Lebron, Rose, Wade, Durant etc - but parts with strengths. Meshing them so that they work like a team, is what Raptors have failed to do. That is evident when you put out 21 different Starting line-ups over 64 games. Look how long it took a bunch of Stars in LA to gel. Raptors had 2 rookies starting last game. They had only 1 player start last game, who was with the team last year.

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j bean wrote:

Another weight on the negative side of the scale is his ability to stay healthy. Three extended periods last year and injured again this year. 10 mill a year but he only plays half the games.

All Bigs get injured. It's the injuries that affect future abilities that should be a concern. Knees, feet, ankles - those are the enemy for the Big guys. Remember the talk about trading Amare for Andrea. One is finished as far as I'm concerned - especially at his price.

The other just needs to be responsible with his past. Andrea's calf would certainly be a concern, but if treated properly, it shouldn't affect his play. He went down the 2nd time, because Casey ran him for 70+ minutes in a back-to-back. That was totally irresponsible. The 3rd time was more of the same - just much easier to have happen. This is one of my biggest beefs about the Raptors. We value playing hurt - really hurt.

To me, that's a bullsh!t approach to responsible actions.
If we're in the play-offs, or fighting for a play-off spot (or better play-off spot), then I can agree. But watching a guy like Amir playing hurt so much last season, it affected his game. This year, I get concerned by his playing time, because we already know what he brings. Running him too hard serves no purpose, other than one more injury that will flow into next season.

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j bean wrote:

Finally you mentioned your Italian heritage that you share with Andrea. If that wasn't the case maybe it wouldn't be influencing your outlook that puts him as the starting PF. I wonder if even BC with his closeness to the Italian community is influenced by the natural characteristic we have to cheer for one of our own.

I speaka no Italiano - if that convinces you.
I see Bargnani differently then some gene pool connection. I see him as one part - along with a guy like Rudy - who if they can excel to their potential, Raptors will have a good chance in calling themselves a Contender. That would of course mean Lowry & Derozan being quality contributors, as well as Jonas being our Chandler. Not all the parts will achieve greatness, but with what we have, the opportunities are there.

It's all about the odds. Finding a Lebron, keeping a Lebron ... Finding any Star, and keeping him. As the only team with it's own country, we are at a disadvantage. We have to think outside the Box.

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My whole point of this "State of Whatever Address" (besides having a little fun), was to emphasize that getting a team to gel is not some 20 game affair. It takes time. It has taken the Lakers 60 games to get themselves back into the play-offs. We expect to do the same with rookies, and a bunch of young players who have never tasted the success that Kobe and gang have. They know what it takes. We need to experience that. And to do that, we need to stop changing for the sake of changing. We have to catch our breath. Add a PG - if Telfair doesn't work; add another Big; fill in the voids; and let this team go from there.

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I don't want to go throught that 21 line-up record again. I want the play-offs. And when we get there, we can discuss how to go further. Right now, this blow-up sh!t is exactly that.

As John Candy once said ... "blowed up real good".
Only not so good for the Raptors.

Regarding the amnesty of Bargnani in 2014, unless you have something lined up in free agency, wouldn't it be better to keep him as an expiring contract? Raptors have a better chance to add talent via trade than free agency in my opinion.

I also don't think the difference between 3 years/$9M and 4 years/$20M is going to make enough of a difference in acquiring talent. I am basing this on my recollection but most MLE players tend to be overpaid and a disappointment (there are exceptions of course but overall).

As to Colangelo's continuation in Toronto, I say we decide at the trade deadline – 2014.
I think the same way about Casey.

The best time to plant the elm tree in your backyard was 50 years ago. The second best time is now.

Keeping them will give some assurance to players, instead of doubt, and the inevitable ... “Sorry, but I’m out of here”. What this team needs is stability, if we are going to gel as a team. Shaking everything up again, just strikes me as changing because finding solutions with what you have is too hard.

Two things. First, Colangelo does not bring stability. Every year there is massive roster turnover when his most recent Frankenstein monster fails miserably. If anything, Colangelo's reign of terror in Toronto has been one of constant change. Keeping him is a recipe for more of the same.

Second, continuity and stability with management is important if management is doing a good job. When they aren't, you don't keep them around so they can keep doing a bad job. It won't turn around just cause they've been there a long time.

This Harvard study that shows AB to be the leagues 2nd best defender records the shooting percentage when he is the defender and within 5 feet when the shot is taken. What about when the defender is so out of position he is more than 5 feet from the shooter?

There's no point in using the Amnesty on Bargnani in 2014. If you're going to use it, you use it now. Using the amnesty clause on the one year where Bargnani's contract actually has some value (as an expiring) is just wrong.

Nilanka -- I'll take you up on that guarantee. I think there's at least a 1% chance that Bargnani is still on this roster come training camp. No Danone crap or fruit on the bottom okay, I want the good stuff: Greek-style yogurt. Thick enough that you can stand on it.

The plus side of changing management is that there's no memory of dealings that went on to acquire the player. There's no more hidden promises, fond memories, or conversations. There's just a payroll, contracts, assets associated to each contract, and some kind of player folder containing statistics, accomplishments, personality tests, etc. This is what you want in a general manager.

And depending on the odds your offering I'd take that bet. Since your so confident in your assertion, you wouldn't mind giving me odds? I'll give you 1 yogurt if bargs is traded/amnestied/waived/dies before training camp but if he's still a raptor, you give me two yogurts!

"We only have one rule on this team. What is that rule? E.L.E. That's right's, E.L.E, and what does E.L.E. stand for? EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY. Right there up on the wall, because this isn't just a basketball team, this is a lifestyle. ~ Jackie Moon

I appreciate the write up, as it obviously was something you put a lot of effort into, and as an opinion piece there's nothing wrong with it. That said, there really wasn't a lot of substance to the article beyond opinion. I don't dislike bargs, and I'm fine with him being a back up PF, until he gets traded but I don't want him to be a starter, as I don't think he is as effective as a player as Amir Johnson.

PREDICTION:Nilanka & P00ka, are, were, or will be secret lovers, it didn't/won't last very long, but it was/is/will be unforgettable. Of course, as secret lovers, we'll never know the details...

"We only have one rule on this team. What is that rule? E.L.E. That's right's, E.L.E, and what does E.L.E. stand for? EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY. Right there up on the wall, because this isn't just a basketball team, this is a lifestyle. ~ Jackie Moon

And depending on the odds your offering I'd take that bet. Since your so confident in your assertion, you wouldn't mind giving me odds? I'll give you 1 yogurt if bargs is traded/amnestied/waived/dies before training camp but if he's still a raptor, you give me two yogurts!